Inclusion at the Workplace: An Exploratory Study of People with Disabilities in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand Bam ◽  
Linda Ronnie
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Induction Phase ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Early Experiences ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Research on the employment experiences of persons with disabilities on a global level indicates that this group is faced with the challenge of inclusion in the workplace. While South Africa has a well-defined legislative framework that has been determined in consultation with disabled people’s organisations, compliance with legislation appears to have failed to ensure that employment targets are met. As a response to these challenges, this study explored the early inclusion experiences of persons with disabilities in the workplace via a qualitative, explorative, case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people with a range of different disabilities and working for different organisations, in order to provide insight into the initial experiences of inclusion for persons with disabilities in the workplace. Findings showed challenges in induction and orientation practices, struggles with disclosure of disability to coworkers, a desire to strive for ‘normality’, and frustration and vulnerability in the workplace. Taken together, the findings point to the importance of early experiences of inclusion in the workplace – that is, inclusionary practices during the employee induction phase. This study offers insights to organisations and management practitioners for the promotion of better employment experiences. Recommendations include the appointment of a disability champion to account for disability equity within the organisation, the development of more inclusive recruitment and orientation practices, drawing on coworkers for support, and the active involvement of persons with disabilities in shaping onboarding processes. Embarking on these steps may ultimately result in a more diverse workforce within South Africa.

scholarly journals Inclusive Planning: African Policy Inventory and South African Mobility Case Study on the Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities and Other Vulnerable Groups

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne J.W.A. Vanderschuren ◽  
Obiora Nnene
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Inclusive Policy

Abstract BackgroundAlmost half of the African population is under the age of 18 years, while females make up just over half of the overall population. Estimates of the number of persons living with disabilities, on the African continent, range between 60-300 million individuals. Children, the elderly, females and people with disabilities all require amendments to traditional transport planning.MethodThis paper investigates the availability of transport policies and guidelines in 29 different African countries, focussing on the inclusion of persons with disabilities, women and children. A desktop study was conducted, followed by the analysis of secondary data in the case study area, South Africa, demonstrating that the lack of adequate policies, guidelines and appropriate implementation leads to a lack of accessibility, opportunities and social isolation. ResultsThe data analysed revealed that Ghana and Kenya, have the most inclusive policy and legislative framework, while Tanzania has the most inclusive transport related framework. The private sector, NGOs, and NPOs are most active in the inclusion of people living with disabilities in Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.In South Africa (STATSSA, 2013), over 2.2 million people (4.5% of the population) did not travel at all in the seven days before the interview, as their disability or age prohibits them to do so, or due to a lack of appropriate services. When comparing the trip rates per week, people with disabilities travel significantly less than their abled counterparts, between 65.8% and 27.2% less.ConclusionsThe study concludes that people with disability live less integrated, more isolated lives, due to the lack of accommodating infrastructure and services, in addition to the lack of binding policies, legislation, standards and guidelines. The results underpin the need for Disability Inclusive Planning in the African context and provides recommendations that mitigate the isolation challenges faced by people with disabilities.

Improvement of environmental health and hygiene practices - case study in the Northern Province

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Mathegana ◽  
L. K. Chauke ◽  
F. A.O. Otieno
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Proper Training ◽  
The Government ◽  
Better Than

The primary purpose of an improved water supply and sanitation is the achievement of acceptable health and hygiene standards as well as the sustainable improvement of the environment. Many governments recognize this and so they budget for large sums of money to improve these services to the communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different gaps in environmental health and hygiene practices with the aim of suggesting a strategy of improving this in the Northern Province of South Africa. To do this, 231 households and 30 schools were surveyed. Workshops and visits to different government departments were also used. This paper reports the results from this study which indicate that the situation in schools was not any better than that in households, with more than 90% of the villages still dependent on the unimproved pit latrines and 56,6% relying on standpipes which were (70% of the time) non-operational. The main problems identified seem to those associated with implementation and maintenance. The study concludes that with proper training of the water committees and their active involvement with the government and NGOs, environmental health and hygiene problems can be minimized or eliminated.

Mobile-mediated mothering from a distance: A case study of Somali mothers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 656-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celine Meyers ◽  
Pragna Rugunanan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mobile Platforms ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Emotional Bonds ◽  
Distinct Category ◽  
Port Elizabeth ◽  
Educational Pursuits

This article explores the mobile-mediated mothering experiences among migrant Somali mothers living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with Somali mothers to examine how Imo, Viber, Skype and WhatsApp enable them to fulfil important maternal responsibilities toward their left-behind children in Somalia. The findings reveal that three types of maternal tensions occur due to their migration: guilt and concern, family strains, and judgement in Somali communities. Efforts to overcome these tensions include the adoption of mobile technologies to continue to mother from a distance. Migrant Somali mothers in this study mediate mothering using mobile platforms by: (a) transferring remittances to their children’s caretakers, (b) sustaining emotional bonds, (c) teaching religious beliefs, and (d) encouraging educational pursuits. By focusing on mothers as a distinct category of women, this study contributes to the theoretical call for more scholarship on matricentric feminism.

Exploring the Integration of Indigenous Knowledge Into Public Library Services With an Inclusive Intent Using a Critical Theory Lens

2020 ◽  
pp. 266-285
Author(s):  
Maned Mhlongo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Critical Theory ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Multiple Case

Despite legislative and regulatory frameworks that have paved the way for transformation and inclusivity of public libraries in South Africa, there seems to be little or no integration of indigenous knowledge (IK). The exclusion of IK from public library services has potential to counteract efforts towards the provision of inclusive services. This chapter demonstrates how critical theory was used as a lens in a multiple case study that explored the integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) into services of public libraries in South Africa. Looking at the articulation of IK, services that are provided to ensure inclusivity, and issues that impact on IK integration in public libraries, semi-structured interviews were conducted from purposefully selected heads of provincial library services in South Africa. Thematic analysis was used. Using critical theory to frame the analysis, findings indicate understanding of aspects of IK including its oral nature. A paucity of engagement with IK as an aspect of inclusive service provision was noted.

scholarly journals Battlefields Tourism: The status of heritage tourism in Dundee, South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (26) ◽  
pp. 121-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton David van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Heritage Tourism ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mining Town ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Status ◽  
Local Residents

Abstract Heritage tourism is a significant contemporary facet of tourism in many developing countries. This paper analyses the economic opportunities for battlefield- heritage tourism in South Africa by examining the battlefields route within KwaZulu-Natal. Through structured interviews with stakeholders and structured questionnaires with visitors and local residents, this research explores the understanding of heritage tourism as well as perceptions of its influence on the physical landscape and gauges the importance of this form of tourism as a driver for local economic development in South Africa. Dundee, a small coal-mining town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - where several battlefields are found, is used as a case study. The study demonstrates that several issues need to be addressed if this niche of cultural and heritage tourism is to be a sustainable and responsible form of tourism in South Africa.

scholarly journals Private Archives in South Africa: Their Protection and Access with Particular Reference to the now Defunct Lutheran Theological Institute Library and Archives

Atlanti ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-65
Author(s):  
Francis Garaba
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
Enabling Environment ◽  
The Status ◽  
Subsequent Loss ◽  
The Law ◽  
Public Archives ◽  
Insight Into

This treatise is a case study that provides an insight into the status of private archives in South Africa with regards to their protection and access provisions. The paper is based on the author’s experiences as a manuscript librarian at the now defunct Lutheran Theological Institute (LTI) Library and Archives and research on faith-based archives which this institution was endowed with. The thesis of this paper is that records and archives legislation in South Africa as far as it applies to private archives is lethargic and not comprehensive enough to provide an enabling environment for their stewardship which is leading to loss of documentary heritage. The demise of this institution and the subsequent loss of the collection is testimony. In consequence, faith based collections (religious archives) need to be legislated like their counterparts public archives for protection and access in terms of the law.

scholarly journals Strengthening public financial management in the health sector: a qualitative case study from South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. e006911
Author(s):  
Jodi Wishnia ◽  
Jane Goudge
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Financial Management

IntroductionEffective public financial management (PFM) ensures public health funds are used to deliver services in the best way possible. Given the global call for universal health coverage, and concerns about the management of public funds in many low-income and middle-income countries, PFM has become an important area of research. South Africa has a robust PFM framework, that is generally adhered to, and yet financial outcomes have remained poor. In this paper, we describe how a South African provincial department of health tried to strengthen its PFM processes by deploying finance managers into service delivery units, involving service delivery managers in the monthly finance meeting, using a weekly committee to review expenditure requests and starting a weekly managers’ ‘touch-base’ meeting. We assess whether these strategies strengthened collaboration and trust and how this impacted on PFM.MethodThis research used a case study design with ethnographic methods. Semi-structured interviews (n=30) were conducted with participant observations. Thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes and collaborative public management theory was then used to frame the findings. The authors used reflexive methods, and member checking was conducted.ResultsThe deployment of staff and touch-base meeting illustrated the potential of multidisciplinary teams when members share power, and the importance of impartial leadership when trying to achieve consensus on how to prioritise resource use. However, the service delivery and finance managers did not manage to collaborate in the monthly finance meeting to develop realistic budgets, or to reprioritise expenditure when required. The resulting mistrust threatened to derail the other strategies, highlighting how critical trust is for collaboration.ConclusionEffective PFM requires authentic collaboration between service delivery and finance managers; formal processes alone will not achieve this. We recommend more opportunities for ‘boundary crossing’, embedding finance managers in service delivery units and impartial effective leadership.

The Adoption of Network-Centric Data Sharing in Air Traffic Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 127-151
Author(s):  
Karel Joris Bert Lootens ◽  
Marina Efthymiou
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Management ◽  
Air Traffic Management ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Air Navigation Services ◽  
Aviation Network ◽  
Collaborative Decision ◽  
Insight Into

Network-centric sharing of data between all Air Traffic Management (ATM) stakeholders can improve the aviation network substantially. The System Wide Information Management (SWIM) platform is a platform for the open sharing of all information between aircraft operators, airports, air navigation services providers (ANSPs), and meteorology services, but has struggled to find a following. This article aims to identify the potential reasons for the slow adoption of the SWIM platform, and to investigate how to better communicate its potential. To gain insight into the drivers for each of the stakeholders, a series of semi-structured interviews was conducted with airlines, airports and ANSPs. Moreover, an Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) initiative at the airport in Dublin was included as a case study. Recommendations are provided on how to address the results from a governance point of view.

scholarly journals Elaborating on modular interfaces in multi-provider contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1397-1419
Author(s):  
Vincent Peters ◽  
Mervi Vähätalo ◽  
Bert Meijboom ◽  
Alice Barendregt ◽  
Levinus Bok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care For The Elderly ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Third Dimension ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThis study examines how modular interfaces manifest in multi-provider contexts and how they can improve coordination and customization of services. The aim of the study is to describe interfaces in multi-provider contexts and elaborate on how they support the delivery of integrated patient care.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative, multiple case study was conducted in two multi-provider contexts in healthcare services: one representing paediatric Down syndrome care in the Netherlands and one representing home care for the elderly in Finland. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews in both contexts.FindingsThis study provides insight into several types of interfaces and their role in multi-provider contexts. Several inter- and intra-organizational situations were identified in which the delivery of integrated patient care was jeopardized. This study describes how interfaces can help to alleviate these situations.Originality/valueThis study deepens the understanding of interfaces in service modularity by describing interfaces in multi-provider contexts. The multi-provider contexts studied inspired to incorporate the inter-organizational aspect into the literature on interfaces in service modularity. This study further develops the typology for interfaces in modular services by adding a third dimension to the typology, that is, the orientation of interfaces.

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